Mobile electronic device with fragmented device settings
A mobile electronic device with fragmented device settings enables preservation of user-defined settings during over-air software updates. Such a device in one aspect comprises a memory adapted to store at least one device setting including a default setting determined independent of any user of the device and a user setting determinable by a user of the device; a wireless interface adapted to receive a software update; and a processor communicatively coupled to the wireless interface and the memory and adapted to update the default-setting in response to the software update.
The present invention relates to mobile electronic devices, and more particularly to mobile electronic devices capable of preserving user-defined settings during over-air updates of device settings.
Mobile electronic devices, such as notebook computers, cellular phones, personal data assistants (PDAs) and pocket PCs, are becoming increasingly sophisticated. This increased sophistication has brought with it more complex software and a higher incidence of coding errors, called software bugs. This increased sophistication has also led to more frequent availability of software upgrades that enhance the functionality of such devices. To remove software bugs and enable software upgrades, software updates are disseminated and applied on such devices.
To more efficiently disseminate software updates to a large installed base of mobile electronic devices, techniques that download software updates to such devices over-air have been deployed. In such wireless download schemes, a software update is typically loaded on a software update server in a network infrastructure and is pushed or pulled from the server to a plurality of such devices.
A technical challenge that arises during over-air software updates is how to update device settings without affecting user-defined settings. A software image on a mobile electronic device typically includes device settings that affect, for example, how the device interfaces with the user. These device settings are often initialized to default values that a user of the device can modify to match his or her preferences. Unfortunately, a conventional software update server has no knowledge of which device settings a user has modified. Without such knowledge, there is no way to perform a selective update of device settings via an over-air software update that preserves the user-defined settings. If device settings are globally updated as part of a software update, the user-defined settings are overwritten. The user must then once again modify the device settings to match his or her preferences, consuming the user's time and causing frustration. On the other hand, if device settings are not updated as part of a software update, the device may not perform at a desired level after the update. Old device settings that are no longer required will persist, new device settings that are required by the updated software will not become operative, and device setting default values will not be optimized for the updated software. Incompatibilities arising between the updated software and old device settings may even render the device inoperable.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONThe present invention, in a basic feature, enables user-defined settings to be preserved during an over-air update of device settings of a mobile electronic device. Generally speaking, preservation of user-defined settings is accomplished through fragmentation of device settings on the mobile electronic device into default settings and user settings that may be separately maintained, referenced and updated.
In one aspect, the present invention provides a mobile electronic device comprising a memory adapted to store at least one device setting including a default setting determined independent of any user of the device and a user setting determinable by a user of the device; a wireless interface adapted to receive a software update; and a processor communicatively coupled to the wireless interface and the memory and adapted to update the default setting in response to the software update. The software update may update the default setting to a valid or invalid value. The default setting may be maintained in a first file and the user setting may be maintained in a second file. In some embodiments, the memory is adapted to store a plurality of device settings each including a default setting determined independent of any user of the device and a user setting determinable by a user of the device wherein each default setting is updated in response to the software update.
In another aspect, the present invention provides a mobile electronic device comprising a memory adapted to store at least one device setting including a default setting determined independent of any user of the device and a user setting determinable by a user of the device; a user interface adapted to receive a user input; and a processor communicatively coupled to the user interface and the memory and adapted to update the user setting in response to the user input. The user input may update the user setting to a valid or invalid value. In some embodiments, the memory is adapted to store a plurality of device settings each including a default setting determined independent of any user of the device and a user setting determinable by a user of the device wherein one or all of the user settings are updated in response to the user input.
In another aspect, the present invention provides a mobile electronic device comprising a memory adapted to store at least one device setting including a default setting determined independent of any user of the device and a user setting determinable by a user of the device; and a processor communicatively coupled to the memory and adapted in response to interrogation of the device setting to select for application on the device one of the default setting and the user setting. In some embodiments, the processor selects the user setting for application on the device if the user setting is a valid and selects the default setting for application on the device if the user setting is invalid.
These and other aspects of the invention will be better understood by reference to the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the drawings that are briefly described below. Of course, the invention is defined by the appended claims.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
In
Software update server 110 stores and distributes software updates to an installed base of mobile electronic devices, such as devices 120, 130, 140. The installed base may include, for example, a group of mobile electronic devices owned by a common enterprise or used by a subscriber group. Software update types include, for example, patches with corrective code and upgrades with code that supports new features or functionality. Software updates also include device setting updates. In some embodiments, server 110 prepares and downloads to devices a delta package in lieu of a complete replacement software image. In such embodiments, server 110 compares a current version of software running on devices with a new version and creates a delta package reflective of differences. The delta package contains information sufficient to enable devices to self-update to the new version of software, such as a set of commands that instruct devices how to modify the current version. Devices receive the delta package from server 110 and execute the delta package to update to the new version. In some embodiments, software updates are pulled from server 110 pursuant to requests made by devices 120, 130, 140. In other embodiments, software updates are pushed by server 110 to devices 120, 130, 140 independent of any request.
Turning to
Turning to
Device settings 350 are logically partitioned into default settings 330 and user settings 340. Each device setting includes one default setting and one user setting. Default settings 330 are device settings that may be updated in response to software updates, such as delta package 250, but are not updated in response to user inputs. User settings 350 are device settings that may be updated in response to user inputs, but are not updated in response to software updates. In some embodiments, default settings 330 and user settings 340 are maintained in separate data tables and files.
Turning now to
Reservation of table locations for particular settings enables the formation of logical groups of settings from aligned settings in different tables. In particular, each aligned default setting and user setting together form a device setting. Thus, after application of delta package 250, the first device setting is defined by the tuple <NewDefVal1, UserVal1>, the second device setting is defined by the tuple <InvalidVal, InvalidVal>, the third device setting is defined by the tuple <NewDefVal3, InvalidVal>, and so on. Device settings whose default settings are invalid (that is, have invalid values) are inoperative, whereas device settings whose default settings are valid (that is, have valid values) are operative. Moreover, when the default setting and the user setting of a device setting are both valid, the user setting is preferred. That is, the user setting is returned in response to an interrogation of the device setting when the default setting and the user setting are both valid. It will be appreciated that preserving table entries for device settings rendered inoperative maintains the alignment between default settings and user settings required for formation of device settings. In other embodiments, table entries for inoperative device settings are removed and device software has a program that executes after software updates to restore alignment.
Referring now to
If the event is a user settings update, user settings are updated (530). User settings updates are prompted by input by a user on user interface 230 of one or more valid update values for user settings, or a reset instruction. Current values for affected user settings 340 are replaced with the valid update values. If a reset instruction is input, all current user settings 340 are reset to invalid. Device 200 monitors for the next event (510) after completing the user settings update.
Finally, if the event is a request for a device setting, the user setting for the device setting is interrogated and it is determined whether the user setting is valid (540). If the user setting is valid, the valid user setting is returned for application on device 200 (550). If the user setting is invalid (560), the default setting for the device setting is interrogated and returned for application on device 200 (560). Device 200 monitors for the next event (510) after processing the request for the device setting.
It will be appreciated by those of ordinary skill in the art that the invention can be embodied in other specific forms without departing from the spirit or essential character hereof. The present description is therefore considered in all respects to be illustrative and not restrictive. The scope of the invention is indicated by the appended claims, and all changes that come with in the meaning and range of equivalents thereof are intended to be embraced therein.
Claims
1. A mobile electronic device, comprising:
- a memory adapted to store at least one device setting including a default setting determined independent of any user of the device and a user setting determinable by a user of the device;
- a wireless interface adapted to receive a software update; and
- a processor communicatively coupled to the wireless interface and the memory and adapted to update the default setting in response to the software update.
2. The mobile electronic device of claim 1, wherein the software update updates the default setting to a valid value.
3. The mobile electronic device of claim 1, wherein the software update updates the default setting to an invalid value.
4. The mobile electronic device of claim 1, wherein the default setting is maintained in a first file and the user setting is maintained in a second file.
5. The mobile electronic device of claim 1, wherein the memory is adapted to store a plurality of device settings each including a default setting determined independent of any user of the device and a user setting determinable by a user of the device and wherein each default setting is updated in response to the software update.
6. The mobile electronic device of claim 1, wherein the software update is received from a software update server.
7. The mobile electronic device of claim 1, wherein the user setting is not updated in response to the software update.
8. A mobile electronic device, comprising:
- a memory adapted to store at least one device setting including a default setting determined independent of any user of the device and a user setting determinable by a user of the device;
- a user interface adapted to receive a user input; and
- a processor communicatively coupled to the user interface and the memory and adapted to update the user setting in response to the user input.
9. The mobile electronic device of claim 8, wherein the user input updates the user setting to a valid value.
10. The mobile electronic device of claim 8, wherein the user input updates the user setting to an invalid value.
11. The mobile electronic device of claim 8, wherein the memory is adapted to store a plurality of device settings each including a default setting determined independent of any user of the device and a user setting determinable by a user of the device and wherein one of the user settings is updated in response to the user input.
12. The mobile electronic device of claim 8, wherein the memory is adapted to store a plurality of device settings each including a default setting determined independent of any user of the device and a user setting determinable by a user of the device and wherein all of the user settings are updated in response to the user input.
13. A mobile electronic device, comprising:
- a memory adapted to store at least one device setting including a default setting determined independent of any user of the device and a user setting determinable by a user of the device; and
- a processor communicatively coupled to the memory and adapted in response to interrogation of the device setting to select for application on the device one of the default setting and the user setting.
14. The mobile electronic device of claim 13, wherein the processor selects the user setting for application on the device if the user setting is valid.
15. The mobile electronic device of claim 13, wherein the processor selects the default setting for application on the device if the user setting is invalid.
16. The mobile electronic device of claim 13, wherein the device is a telephone.
17. The mobile electronic device of claim 13, wherein the device setting affects at least one of language, text, volume, a ring tone and a screen saver.
Type: Application
Filed: Mar 9, 2006
Publication Date: Sep 13, 2007
Patent Grant number: 7555640
Inventor: Richard Helvick (Portland, OR)
Application Number: 11/371,843
International Classification: G06F 15/177 (20060101);